Roller pressure quench system



Jan. 21, 1969 F. c. SAFFORD ETAL 3,423,254

ROLLER PRESSURE QUENCH SYSTEM Original Filed May 27, 1964 Sheet of 5 INVENTORS Franklin C. Sufford Robert A.McGroth 8 BY Edgar Lloyd Loveless Jan. 21, 1969 F. c. SAFFORD ETAL 3,423,254

I ROLLER PRESSURE QUENCH: SYSTEM Original Filed May 27, 1964 Sheet 2 or 5 INVENTORS I? 2 Franklin C. Sofford,

BY Robert A. McGruth a Edgar Lloyd Loveless sw/z" Jan. 21; 1969 F. c. SAFFORD ETAL ROLLER PRESSURE QUENCH SYSTEM Urlginal Filed May 27, 1964 Sheet v5 of5 INVENTORS Fronkiin C. Stafford Robert A.McGrath 8 Edgar Lloyd Loveless Jan. 21, 1969 F. c. SAFFORD ETAL 3,423,254

ROLLER PRESSUREQUENCH SYSTEM Qriginal Filed May 27, 1964 Sheet 4 0r 5 Franklin C. Sofford, Robert A. McGrath & Edgar Lloyd Loveless Jan. 21, 1969 F. C. SAFFORD ETAL ROLL ER PRESSURE QUENCH SYSTEM Original Filed May'27, 1964 Sheet United States Patent 3,423,254 ROLLER PRESSURE QUENCH SYSTEM Franklin C. Satford, Bristol Township, Bucks County, Robert A. McGrath, Northhampton Township, Bucks County, and Edgar Lloyd Loveless, Bethayres, Pa., assignors to Drever Company, Bethayres, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Continuation of application Ser. No. 370,554, May 27, 1964. This application Nov. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 591,927 US. Cl. 148131 18 Claims Int. Cl.'C21d l 78 This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 370,554, filed May 27, 1964, now abandoned.

This invention relates to a roller pressure quench system for straightening and qeunch reducing the temperature of metal Work to provide such metal work with selected properties. More particularly, this invention pertains to apparatus and method in which directly opposed rollers engage metal work perferably in or near the critical or transformation temperature range thereof to flatten it in the course of selected rotation of such opposed rollers and substantially simultaneously flood quenching both sides of such flattened metal work with liquid coolant while under roller restraint.

Pressure quenching equipment for hardening low carbon and low alloy steels and other metals and for stabilizing special high alloy metals such as stainless steel, has been known for some time. Therein, in the case of steels, a hardening furnace for metal work such as plate which normally has a minimum thickness of A of one inch and above, or sheets below such thicknesses, was followed, for example, by a pressure quench stand such as those heretofore built by the assignee of this invention. In such pressure quench stand, the heated metal work was conveyed beneath an upper platen by a roller bed mounted on a carriage which could be raised and lowered. When lowered, the metal work engaged and became supported by fixed lower jaws which might be spaced six inches apart in each direction, the rollers withdrawing from contact with the work. Such lower jaws were between such rollers and in juxtaposition to transversely extending pipes for quenching water. An upper platen above the work was provided with rigid upper jaws in superposed relation to the lower jaws so that when the upper platen was lowered, the work was clamped between the upper and lower sets of jaws. The upper platen was also supplied with transversely extending pipes for quenching water and the discharge from all pipes occurred through openings therein directed toward the adjacent side of the metal work. The upper and lower jaws were capable of being pressed together with the selected pressure at the time that the quenching of the metal work occurred. While such prior pressure quench devices provided relatively flat sheets and plates that were relatively well quenched, it was discovered that the contraction of the metal Work caused by the quenching caused the jaws to mark the work, a situation unsuited to sheets and plates to be of a selectively uniform, or high grade, surface finish. Moreover, it was discovered that the jaws had a tendency to make the quenching non-uniform over the whole area of the metal work. Consequently, some users would perform some quenching before bringing the upper platen down upon the work which tended to have the effect of reducing the temperature of the metal to such an extent that the flattening thereof thereafter would not take place as desired, or if suflicient pressure were exerted upon the metal work to flatten it, it would tend to introduce stress into the metal which hot flattening before quenching would have obviated.

3,423,254 Patented Jan. 21, 1969 In the roller pressure quench system of this invention, the foregoing shortcomings and deficiencies have been overcome. Hereunder, the metal work at elevated temperature from the hardening or transformation furnace which has heated the metal work, passes onto the roller hearth of apparatus of this invention and remains on such hearth during the flattening, which is a form of straightening, and quenching. Such flattening occurs at relatively little pressure occasioned by the lowering of the upper platen in which are mounted transverse rollers superposed above the respective rollers in the bottom bed of the quench stand, the dead weight of the upper platen often being suflicient to effect the necessary flattening of the often warped metal leaving the heat treating furnace and moving quickly into the quench apparatus, which preferably is positioned close to the furnace and in the pass line. In apparatus of this invention, the upper and lower sets of rollers, when the upper platen is down pressing the metal work therebetween, are alternately rotated in opposite directions for a short distance so as to move the metal back and forth in the course of such flattening and at which time preferably the liquid coolant such as water is jetted onto the metal work in copious flooding quantities for the desired quench gradient. The rollers in each set move in the same direction and preferably are synchronized to have the same peripheral speed in the course of engagement of the metal work so that virtually no slippage is encountered. The rocking back and forth of the flattened metal work exposes all parts of the surface on both sides to direct contact with the quenching liquid, the force of which is such as to cut through any film of steam or vapor that otherwise might tend to form on the surfaces of the metal work. Moreover, the contraction of the metal work as it is quenched occurs without marking of the surface of such work, which preferably at all times remains substantially wholly within the projected area of the upper quench rollers and platen of the quench apparatus. Upon completion of such flattening and quenching, the upper platen is raised and the lower set of rollers turn to move the metal work out onto the runout table, transfer car or other receiver thereof, for such further processing if any, that may be desired.

. Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and from the accompanying drawings, which are illustrative only, in which FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation of one embodiment of a roller pressure quench apparatus of this invention in position about to receive a new piece of metal work to be flattened and quenched;

FIGURE 2 is substantially an end view of the-apparatus embodiment shown in FIGURE 1 taken along line II-II thereof with portions of the apparatus broken away for clarity of illustration;

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the apparatus embodiment shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 taken along line IIIIII of FIGURE 2 with parts broken away for clarity of illustration;

FIGURE 4 is a detail view somewhat enlarged of a portion of a synchronous drive for the upper and lower sets of rollers looked at from a position along line IVIV in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a view in detail taken along line V-V of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an end view of the detail shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is a detail view of modified quench roller and pipe means portion which may be utilized in an embodiment of this invention;

FIGURE 8 is a detail view taken along line VIIIVIII of FIGURE 7; and

FIGURE 9 is a schematic diagram showing one mode of circuit arrangement that may be utilized in operating the above-illustrated embodiment and modification.

Referring to FIGURES 1 to 6, inclusive, of the drawings, one embodiment of a roller pressure quench stand 10 is shown positioned in longitudinal alignment with a pass line for metal work 11, which in the illustration may comprise a sheet or plate of solid, or clad, metal. Stand 10 may be made of any size to accommodate metal workpieces of any length, width and thickness selected. As shown, the frame of stand 10 comprises vertical columns 12 joined rigidly and transversely by cross beams 13 and longitudinally by channels 14 and beams 15. Channels 14 are riveted or welded to columns 12 by appropriate spacers 16. An open-topped drain tank 17 of tray shape also is affixed to the frame resting upon the lower cross beams 13 and Within the inner sides of the columns 12 to catch the run-off liquid quench coolant. Channels 14 are provided with longitudinal perforations 18 so that tank 17 serves as such across the entire width and length thereof, suitable drain openings 19 being furnished in the sides of the tank in the plant sewer system. If desired, tank 17 alternatively may be used as a reservoir for such coolant and drains 19 may lead to the suction side of a suitable quench liquid pumping system; and suitable means (not shown) may be provided to keep tank 17 from overflowing. In the illustrated embodiment, tank 17 extends longitudinally beyond an upper roller platen 20 to an entry end 21. An entry apron 22, which may be omitted if stand 10 is used with a conventional charging table, transfer car or other means for conveying relatively highly heated metal work from a furnace to stand 10 preferably as promptly as possible, is supported on legs 23 rigidly joined together beneath tank 17 in supporting relation thereto. Channels 14 also are continued to the entry end 21 within tank 17 for the mounting thereon of entry rollers 24.

Platen 20 comprises longitudinally extending channels 25 rigidly connected to each other by platen cross beams 26. In its vertical movement, platen 20 is guided by slides 27 which are rigidly connected to channels 25 and guidingly engage the inner vertical flanges of the columns 12. A removable hood 28 of thin gauge sheet metal covers the tops and sides 20 to minimize the splash of liquid quench coolant and the dispersion of steam or vapor generated in the quenching operation. On the other hand, a vapor exhaust hood may be extended over the entire stand 10 if desired. Raising and lowering of platen 20 within the frame of stand 10 is provided for in the illustrated embodiment by rocker arms 29' extending generally diagonally as may be seen from FIGURE 3 from the vertical center of platen 20. Such rocker arms 29 are pivoted to fixed fulcrum brackets 30 mounted on the respective cross beams 13. The outer ends of arms 29 are pivotally connected to the upper ends of links 31 while the lower ends of such links 31 are pivotally connected to the platen cross beams adjacent the respective corners of platen 20. Consequently, as the arms 29 rock in a vertical plane, platen 20 correspondingly moves vertically. The inner ends of the respective rocker arms 29 comprise bearing portions 32 which turn between the spaced retainer flanges 33 above and below such bearing portions to cause movement of platen 20 in accordance with the movement of arms 29. The flanges 33 extend around the circumference of an inverted rectangular case 34 which is slidable up and down only in telescoping arrangement on corner angles 35, the lower ends of which are fixed on platen 20 to further platen cross beams 26. Consequently, as case 34 is forced away from platen 20 by the extension of a piston 37 from a cylinder 36, the inner ends of the rocker arms 29 will rise relative to the outer ends for a corresponding lowering of platen 20 because of the fixed position of the fulcrum brackets 30, and vice versa. The

movement of case 34 relative to corner angles 35 is obtained by selecting the over-all length of double-acting hydraulic cylinder 36 and piston rod 37. The lower end of cylinder 36 is fixed to the frame of platen 20 while the outer end of rod 37 is fixed to the top of case 34. Cylinder 36 is supplied with hydraulic fluid at the proper pressure and in the proper direction through the respective ports 38 for a raising or lowering operation at the desired rate and pressure. The pressure of platen 20 upon work 11 may be its deadweight pressure, or it may be a higher pressure exerted through cylinder 36 to press platen 20 downwardly against work 11 with greater force, as needed and/or desired, although such force will not be sufficient in any normal quenching operation under this invention to occasion any material reduction in the thickness of the work 11 irrespective of temperature at the time of entry into stand 10. Moreover, by having a single cylinder 36 as illustrated it is possible to have platen 20 move up and down perfectly horizontally and uniformly without the complications of controlling a plurality of hydraulic cylinder rams to move such a platen; however, such a plurality may be incorporated if desired in an embodiment of this invention.

The upper flanges of channels 14 serve as a mounting support in the stationary lower bed for lower work supporting and quench rollers 39, as well as for entry rollers 24. Such rollers are rotatable and extend across the lower bed of stand 10 in parallel longitudinally spaced relation. Preferably, the uppermost cylindrical element at the time being of the lower bed rollers lie in a horizontal plane. As shown, the lower quench rollers 39 are spaced closer together than the entry rollers 24 in view of the increased pressure beyond the weight of the work which such rollers 39 may be called upon to exert in the course of service to provide greater holding and straighening ability.

The respective ends of each of the rollers 39 and 24 are journaled in bearings 40 fixed to the upper flanges of the channels 14, the shafts of the respective rollers extending outboard of such bearings 40 on one side for the mounting thereupon of sprockets 41 and 42 keyed thereto in parallel, transversely spaced relation. Synchronous driving of all of the lower bed rollers is provided by engagement of respective inner and outer pairs of the sprockets 41 and 42 by respective loops of endless sprocket chains 44 and 43 in progressively overlapping and alternating arrangement as illustrative in the drawings. Consequently, any rotation of a lower roller 39 and 24 requires all of them to rotate in the same direction at the same speed during the same period of time. Upper bed rollers 45 are mounted in the same way, in directly opposed relation to the quench rollers 39, by bearings 46 fixed to channels 25. Inner and outer sprockets 47 and 48 keyed to the shafts of rollers 45 are interconnected by sprocket chain loops in the same progressivel overlapping and alternating fashion so that all upper bed rollers 45 also move in synchronous relation with each other in the same direction of rotation and at the same speed during the same period of time. However, that direction of rotation of the rollers 45 normally always will be opposite to the direction of movement of the quench rollers 39 so that the metal work 11 may be moved along the pass line or rocked back and forth within stand 10 between the upper quench rollers 45 and lower quench rollers 39 preferably without significant slippage between rollers and work 11. Generally, it will not be necessary to internally cool the quench rollers 39 and 45 respectively because of the usual shortness of time they are in engagement with the work and of the quenching. Hence, such rollers 39 and 45 may be made with surfaces of mild or alloy steel. However, it may be desired in connection with entry rollers 24, when used, to make them suitable to withstand high temperature, particularly if work at elevated temperature is to stand on them for any period of time.

In the illustrated embodiment, a reversible hydraulic motor 49 mounted on a column 12 is used to drive a,

sprocket 50 which in turn drives a sprocket 51 by means of a chain 52, at selected speed and direction of rotation. Sprocket 51 may be directly coupled as shown in FIG- URE 3 to the shaft of one of the quench rollers 39, such directly driven lower roller 39 being designated 39A. The two sprockets 41 and 42 at the other end of the shaft of roller 39A are utilized to drive all of the other lower rollers 39 and 24, as well as the upper rollers 45. The lower set will rotate in one direction and the upper set in the opposite direction at the same speeds during the same periods of time assuming equal outside diameters of all for the said rollers. In order to obtain such an opposite direction of rotation of the upper and lower sets of rollers, reference may be had to FIGURES 4 to 6, inclusive. Therein, the inner sprocket 41 of roller 39A may, at the moment being, be rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 4. Thereby, through a chain 44, sprocket 41 of roller 39A will be rotating a sprocket 41 of the last roller 39 toward the discharge end of stand in the same direction and at the same speed; and, further, will cause a stub shaft 53 also to be rotated in the same direction and at the same speed. Stub shaft 53 is provided with a sprocket 54 keyed thereto and has loosely mounted thereon a pair of laterally spaced parallel arms 55. Intermediate the ends of the arms 55 there is an intermediate shaft 56 which is free to rotate in bearings therefor in such arms. The shaft 56 carries a hub 57 free thereon, the hub 57 having fixed thereto two reversing sprockets 58. The outboard reversing sprocket 58 is held in synchronous and opposite rotatable relation to sprocket 54 by means of an endless sprocket chain 59, which sprocket chain 59 crosses over a line joining the centers of sprocket 54 and the outboard sprocket 58 so that movement of chain 59 causes outboard sprocket 58 to rotate at the same speed but in the opposite direction of rotation to sprocket 54. Chain 59 continues on to wrap around and engage an idler sprocket 60 which is free to rotate on a fixed smooth post 61 slidable in the slots 62a in the outer ends of the arms 55 respectively. Post 61 has parallel holes drilled therethrough to slide over threaded studs 62 in accordance with the relative positioning of stud nuts 63 on opposite sides of the post. Thereby, the center of idler sprocket 60 can be shifted relative to the axis of shaft 56 to keep chain 59 taut.

An inboard sprocket 58 is rotated by the outboard sprocket 58 and through hub 57 and is directly connected by an endless loop sprocket chain 64 to the inboard sprocket 65 of the upper quench roller 45 nearest to the discharge or exit end of stand 10, the rotation of both sprockets 58 and of sprocket 65 being at the same speed and in the same direction as each other thereof. Consequently, that quench roller 45 and every other quench roller 45 will have the same speed of rotation during the same period of time as the quench rollers 39, but the direction of rotation of the upper rollers will be opposite to the direction of rotation of the lower rollers 39, irrespective of the vertical distance between any vertically registered pair of upper and lower quench rollers, because the distance from the center of sprocket 54 to the center of outboard sprocket 58 is the same as the distance from the center of the inboard sprocket 58 to the center of sprocket 65, the two sprockets 58 having, as aforesaid, the same axis and the sprocket diameters being the same. Hence, irrespective of the thickness of the metal in any metal work 11 entering stand 10, the upper and lower sets of rollers 11 will have respectively the same speed but will rotate in opposite directions. And, the lowermost cylindrical element of each of the upper quench rolls 45 at the time being also preferably is in a horizontal plane, the quench rollers 45 having axes which lie in the same vertical plane as the axes of the quench rollers 39 immediately therebelow, respectively, for directly opposed straightening of work 11, irrespective of the amount of warp therein when it enters stand 10, and for non-slip movement of the work by such rollers in the course of quenching, while constraining such work against canoeing, bending, twisting or other warping, even when the metal work may be clad metal.

A plurality of transversely extending quench pipes 66 are positioned between the quench rollers 39 at a selected height below the surface plane defined by the topmost element at the time being of each of the quench rollers 39, such plane being substantially coincident with the bottom surface of work 11 after it has been flattened and quenched. Quench pipes 66 are provided with axially spaced liquid quench coolant discharge openings 67 which preferably are of predetermined size and, if desired, may be made in the form of pierced removable tips having a sized discharge opening or openings therein. The outer ends of each pipe 66 are provided with nipples 68 into which adjoining threaded ends of pipes 69, which. may be flexible hoses, are connected. As shown, each end of quench pipe 66 is provided with an abundance of liquid coolant at selected pressure by a centrifugal pump 70 which takes its suction through an inlet pipe 71, which usually will be a water main connection. The rotor of pump 70 is turned at a selected speed by an electric motor 72 to discharge the quench liquid through pipes 73 at selected pressure into one end, or the center, of lower manifolds 74 to which the lower ends of the pipes 69 are connected in axially spaced arrangement on both sides. Similarly, riser pipes 75 on both sides supply quench liquid at selected pressure from another such pump 70 driven at selected speed by another electric motor 72 to upper manifolds 7-6. Pipes 77, in the form of flexible hoses, are connected in axially spaced arrangement relative to the manifolds 76 respectively. The lower threaded ends of the pipes 77 respectively are connected to nipples 78 on both ends of the upper set of quench pipes 79 having downwardly directed liquid quench coolant discharge openings 80 therein in axially spaced arrangement along the length of the pipes 79. The quench pipes 66 and 79 usually will be supplied with identical liquid quench coolant, usually water, at the same selected pressure to obtain uniformity of discharge bottom and across the length of through the respective quench pipes over the whole of the top and bottom surfaces of the work. Where there may be a tendency for a greater quenching effect on top by the quench liquid discharged from the pipes 79, the one of the pumps 70 used to supply lower manifolds 74 can be operated to provide higher pressure liquid through the quench pipes 66, or the opening 67 may be made larger than openings 80, to balance the quenching effect top and bottom on the work 11 where such is needed or desired. On the other hand, in straightening and quenching work 11 clad, e.g., on one side only, different quench liquid quantities and/ or at dilIerent pressures may be supplied to the top and bottom surfaces respectively to achieve special quenching effect. Normally, the quench liquid supplied in any operation hereunder will be at the as received temperature of the coolant liquid. Further, if desired, alternative ones of the quench pipes 66 and 79, respectively, may be supplied with quench liquid from their respectively opposite ends, and, at intermediate points along their lengths. The volume and/or pressure of quench liquid may be controlled further by regulating the opening of a valve in the pipe between the outlets of the respective pumps 70 and the manifolds supplied by them. Still further, one motor and pump may be used to supply all quench pipes, upper and lower.

A hydraulic liquid pumping unit 8 mounted below the cross beams 13 is provided with a reservoir 82, a hydraulic liquid pump '83 run at selected speed by an electric motor 84, the pump having a solenoid-actuated member to select a higher or lower pressure for the pumped hydraulic liquid, the higher pressure in this embodiment 'being utilized in the course of a straightening and quenching operation. Hydraulic liquid is supplied to hydraulic motor 49 by piping '86 supportably connected to the frame of the machine, while hydraulic liquid discharged through the piping 87 supportably connected to such frame supplies the respective end of cylinder 36 through the selected motor 49 and cylinder 36 respectively being returned port 38, such liquid from the exhausting side and end of through the return portions of the piping 86 and 87 to reservoir 82.

One of the possible modifications of the quench roll and quench pipe set-up of the above-illustrated embodiment is shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. Therein, the upper set of quench rollers 88 corresponding to quench rollers 45 are in nested contact with upper back-up rolls 89. Similarly, the lower set of quench rollers 90 corresponding to quench rollers 39 are in nested contact with a respective set of lower back-up rolls 91. The respective ends of the back-up rolls are supported in appropriate bearings 92, those for the upper set of rolls 89 being connected to a platen member 93 while the bearings of the lower back-up rolls 91 are connected to a structural member 94 of the rigid frame. Similarly, the ends of the respective quench rollers 88 and 90 are provided with bearings 95 respectively fastened to the platen frame and to the stationary frame. Such quench rollers in the modification may be hollow as indicated at 96 for cooling through the center thereof by a coolant such as water delivered by a pipe 97 which in the case of the upper quench rollers 88 will be a flexible hose, a swivel fitting 98 being used in each case to permit the quench rollers to rotate without rotation of the coolant conducting pipes. Such cooling of the interiors of the quench rolls may be utilized when operating on work 99 at higher temperatures which might otherwise give rise to excessive roller deterioration, sticking, etc.; and such quench rollers may be provided with a special shell material 100 such as one which is resistant to metal pick-up, or corrosion, if the flattening and quenching is performed in a protective atmosphere, in which latter case, the entire machine, such as stand 10, might be enclosed and supplied with a protective atmosphere supplying system. Upper and lower quench pipes 101 and 102 respectively are positioned between the respectively upper and lower sets of quench rollers and discharge respectively downwardly and upwardly through nozzle tips 103 and 104, axially spaced across the entire length of the respective quench pipes. Such tips may also be used to hold transverse trough-shaped guides 105 which shield the surfaces of the adjacent rollers, respectively, and direct the quench liquid in a massive Welling flood onto as great an expanse of the work 99 as possible in the immediate vicinity of each quench pipe. In the modification, the respective upper and lower back-up rolls are driven through their shafts 106 and 107 to cause coordinated turning of the respective quench rollers, as described above in connection with the upper and lower set of quench rollers 45 and 39; in this way the quench rollers may be made of smaller diameter, or operate on thinner sheet material, exposing greater areas of the upper and lower work surfaces for quenching and/or flattening advantages, in some cases and/ or services.

In one operation of the first above-described embodiment, let it be assumed that the driven roller hearth of a hardening or transformation furnace causes the leading edge of heated work 11, which needs flattening or straightening, to project into contact with an arm of switch 109 fastened to the entry end 21 of such embodiment. Thereupon, as indicated in the schematic circuit arrangement illustrated in FIGURE 9, which is but one of many that may be provided, solenoid 85 is actuated to shift hydraulic pump 83, which normally idles at its lower pressure level, to its higher pressure level. Such actuation of switch 109 also energizes a solenoid 110 connected to the spool valve inside a hydraulic valve casing 111 to shift that spool to forward position to drive all of the rollers 24, 39 and 45 through motor 49 in a forward direction to continue the forward movement of work 11 to a position between the quench rollers 39 and 45, platen 20 being open at that time. Continued forward movement of work 11, which normally is incandescent at this stage, will operate an optical switch 112 to actuate a solenoid 113 to move a valve spool in a hydraulic valve casing 114 to a position which will start the descent of platen 20 and its quench rollers 45, the linear positioning of switch 112 being so correlated with the forward speed of the lower set of rollers as to bring work 11 wholly within the downward projection of platen 20 by the time it reaches its lowermost position in engagement with the top surface of work 11. In the meantime, an optical switch 115 at the entry end of platen 20, which may be a light beam coopcrating with a photocell or light sensitive diode on the other side of work 11, begins the cycle rotation of a cycle timer 116 which also has enough delay set thereinto so that work 11 preferably is wholly within the downward projection of platen 20 when engagement therewith occurs, as stated above. The downward pressure of platen 20 may be its dead weight pressure, or an augmented pressure depending upon the setting of a pressure regulator 117 which is a further control on the output pressure of hydraulic pump 83 when solenoid has been actuated. The rate at which the quench rollers are rotated may be further regulated by the setting of a throttle valve 118 in the return line to reservoir 82; and the rate at which movements of platen 20 occur may be regulated by the setting of a throttle valve 119 in the return line of that part to reservoir 82.

When platen 20 is in engagement with work 11, it will flatten and straighten any canoeing or warping of that work and the setting of cycle time of 116 is used to adjust the instant upon which it turns on the water supplied to the manifolds 74 and 76 either by starting the water pumps, or by operating on-oif electrically actuated valves in the lines for such pumps which may be left running in that case, for instant flooding of the top and bottom surfaces of work 11 while held in constraint between the directly opposed sets of upper and lower sets of quench rollers 45 and 39, such quantities and pressures of liquid quench coolant being selected to achieve the rate and extent of quenching desired.

Moreover, all parts of the work are directly engaged by the quench liquid in that preferably the quench rollers 39 and 45 will rock the work 11 back and forth in a longitudinal direction during such quenching. Thus, as Work 11 continues forward after engagement of platen 20 therewith its leading edge will make or break a circuit through an optical switch 120 in which a light source coacts with a photocell or light sensitive diode on the opposite side of the work, thus acting as a limit switch which will actuate a reverse direction of driving movement by the quench rollers 45 and 39 through the actuation of a solenoid 121 which moves the spool in valve casing 111 in the opposite direction, solenoid in the meantime having become deenergized thereby, causing the work 11 now to be moved in a reverse direction toward the entry end of the space between platen 20 and the quench rollers 39 until the trailing end of work 11 changes the response of the two parts of optical switch energizing solenoid 110, deenergizing solenoid 121 to cause a reversal of the quench roller rotation to a forward direction, and so on a selected number of times; or such rocking reversal of the longitudinal direction of movement of work 11 may be incorporated in segmental switch positions of cycle timer 116 as will be fully understood by those skilled in the circuit arranging art. Preferably, the linear distance of each reversing movement of work 11 between upper and lower rollers 45 and 39 is at least onehalf the longitudinal distance between an adjoining pair of such rollers; and preferably the work at all times stays substantially within the downward projection of platen 20. When cycle timer 116 reaches the end of its preselected cycle, it will shut off the liquid quench coolant discharged through quench pipes 66 and 79, temporarily deactivate optical switch and will have the direction of movement of the quench rollers in a forward direction toward the exit end of stand 10, in a normal situation, to feed the newly flattened, straight and quenched work 11 to a further processing line or run-out table adjoining the exit end of stand 10. In the course of leaving stand 10, the flat, quenched work 11 will depress an arm in switch 123 which may be incorporated with a time delay relay stopping all movement of the quench rollers and deenergizing solenoid 85 to return the output pressure of hydraulic pump 83 to its lower idling pressure, ready for a new cycle of operation. Switch 123 may also be utilized to actuate a solenoid 124 to raise platen 20 at such point if such is not previously done by interconnection of cycle timer 116 therewith; a limit switch (not shown) being utilized for the uppermost position of platen 20 to deenergize solenoid 124 thereby automatically returning the spool in casing 114 to its neutral position, as the spool in casing 111 was by the actuation of switch 123. While the circuit arrangement described is substantially automatic, it will be understood that manual pushbutton or other switches 125 may be utilized in the circuit arrangements for manual or semi-automatic control of the operation, such switches preferably being mounted on a panel or in a console for convenience of handling by a single operator and where they are also interconnected when the device is arranged for alternate automatic operation.

Various changes within the invention may be made in the above-described embodiment and in the modified portion shown in FIGURES 7 and 8. Further, other circuit arrangements, regulations and controls may be utilized in a practice of this invention. Still further, while the described operation concerns the straightening and quenching of plates and sheets using a back-and-forth motion thereof beneath the platen, such straightening and quenching may be performed with continuous motion in one direction; moreover, strip may be flattened and quenched in a continuous one-direction operation utilizing an embodiment of this invention with the platen down all of the time that the strip is passing through. Such foregoing changes and modifications and still others may be provided without departing from the spirit of this invention, or the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a roller platen pressure quench system, apparatus comprising, in combination, a frame, a horizontal lower roller bed fixed to said frame and having transversely extending parallel rollers, a movable horizontal upper roller bed adapted to be guided by said frame and having transversely extending parallel rollers, said parallel rollers in said upper roller bed being directly above said parallel rollers in said lower roller bed with the axes of each superposed pair of rollers lying in a vertical plane when said beds are in relatively closed position, a centrally located vertical double-acting cylinder and piston means positioned above said beds in supported relation to said upper roller bed, rocking beam means positioned in fulcrumed relation to said frame and pivotally associated with said cylinder and piston means, ram means connected to said upper roller bed and pivotally associated with said rocking beam means to move said upper roller bed up and down respectively to open and close said beds in terms of the height of the space between them, respective sprocket and chain means for rotating the parallel rollers in each bed to provide a common direction of movement for fiat work in said space engaged by said parallel rollers in said beds when closed to define an operative work space of uniform height equal to the thickness of said work, means for pressing said beds when closed on work toward one another with a selected force, a common reversible hydraulic drive for said last-named means operative for any height of space between said beds, means for reversing said hydraulic drive to reverse said common direction of movement while said work remains within said work space, and means positioned between parallel rollers in each of said beds to supply water to the top and bottom surfaces of said work at pressure sufiicient to engage said surfaces and in quantities sufficient for uniform and rapid quenching, said last-named means being operative when said beds are closed upon said Work and said work is being relatively rapidly reversed in its direction of movement within said work space.

2. In a roller platen pressure quench system as set forth in claim 1, comprising, said reversible hydraulic drive including sprocket and chain means for driving the set of said parallel rollers in said upper roller bed at equal surface speed but in an opposite angular direction of rotation from the set of said parallel rollers in said lower roller bed, and limit switch means for automatically reversing the direction of movement of the sets of parallel rollers in said respective beds to move said work longitudinally back and forth between said beds to expose all portions of said work to positions intermediate the areas of engagement of said work by said respective sets of parallel rollers at any time being.

3. In a roller platen pressure quench system as set forth in claim 2, comprising, said last-mentioned sprocket and chain means having a take-up to keep said chain tight.

4. In a roller platen pressure quench system, apparatus comprising, in combination, a frame, a lower roller bed mounted on said frame and having transversely extending parallel rollers, a movable platen having an upper roller bed with transversely extending parallel rollers and adapted to be guided by said frame, said parallel rollers in said upper roller bed being directly above said parallel rollers in said lower roller bed with the axes of each superposed pair of rollers lying in a vertical plane, a centrally located vertical double-acting cylinder and piston means positioned above said beds in supported relation to said platen, rocking beam means positioned in fulcrumed relation to said frame and pivotally associated with said cylinder and piston means, ram means connected to said platen and pivotally associated with said rocking beam means to move said upper roller bed up and down respectively to open and close said beds and the height of the Space between said beds, means for rotating the parallel rollers in each bed to provide a common direction of movement for fiat work in said work space engaged by said parallel rollers in said beds when closed to define an operative work space of uniform height equal to the thickness of said work, said movable platen being adapted to press on said work and lower bed with a selected force, reversible drive means for said lastnamed means to reverse said common direction of movement substantially while said work remains within said' surfaces of said work at pressure sufficient to engage said surfaces and in quantities sufficient for uniform quenching of said work.

5. In a roller platen pressure quench system as set forth in claim 4, comprising, hood means positioned above said parallel rollers in said upper roller bed to collect vapor resulting from said quenching, and a drain tank below said lower roller bed for draining liquid resulting from said quenching.

6. In a roller platen pressure quench system, apparatus comprising, in combination, a lower roller bed having transversely extending parallel rollers, a movable platen having an upper roller bed with transversely extending parallel rollers, said parallel rollers in said upper roller bed being substantially directly above said parallel rollers in said lower roller bed, means pivotally connected to said upper roller bed to move said platen up and down respectively to open and close the space between said beds, means for rotating the parallel rollers in each bed to provide a common direction of movement for flat work in said Work space engaged by said parallel rollers in said beds when closed to define an operative work space of uniform height substantially equal to the thickness of said work, reversible drive means for said last-named means 1 1 to reverse said common direction of movement of said work by said rollers, and means positioned between parallel rollers in said beds to supply coolant to the top and bottom surfaces of said work at selected pressures respectively sufficient to engage and quench said work.

7. In a roller platen pressure quench system as set forth in claim 6, comprising, transversely extending longitudinally spaced quench pipes in said respective beds between respective ones of said parallel rollers, said quench pipes discharging toward said work space, a quench fluid manifold for said quench pipes in said upper roller bed, a quench fluid manifold for said quench pipes in said lower roller bed, and separate quench fluid pressure sources to supply said respective manifolds.

8. In a roller platen pressure quench system, apparatus comprising, in combination, a lower roller bed having transversely extending parallel rollers, an upper roller bed having transversely extending parallel rollers, means for moving said roller beds relative to one another to position said parallel rollers in said upper roller bed substantially directly above said parallel rollers in said lower roller bed when said beds are closed to define an operative space therebetween for work, means for rotating the parallel rollers in each bed to provide in said operative space a common direction of movement for said work engaged by said parallel rollers in said beds when closed, means for exerting at least one selected force upon said work when said beds are closed to straighten said work, reversible drive means for said parallel rollers in at least one of said beds, means for reversing the direction of movement of said work substantially within said operative space over a selected period of time, and means to supply quench liquid to said work at a selected pressure or pressures suflicient to engage and quench said work.

9. In a roller platen pressure quench system as set forth in claim 8, comprising at least one set of said parallel rollers in one of said roller beds comprising transversely extending longitudinally spaced non-driven workengaging rollers to directly engage said work when said beds are closed, and driven back-up rollers driveably connected to said reversible drive means and in engagement with said work-engaging rollers to drive them in the selected angular direction of rotation at the selected surface speed.

10. In a roller platen pressure quench system as set forth in claim 8, comprising, transversely extending longitudinally spaced quench pipes in said respective beds between respective ones of said parallel rollers, said quench pipes having discharge openings toward said work space, means for shielding said rollers from quench fluid discharged from said quench pipes better to flood said work, flexible hose means connecting at least said quench pipes in said upper roller to a quench fluid manifold, and a quench fluid manifold for said quench pipes in said lower roller bed.

11. In a roller platen pressure quench system, apparatus comprising, in combination, a lower roller bed having transversely extending parallel rollers, an upper roller bed having transversely extending parallel rollers means for moving said roller beds relative to one another to position said parallel rollers in said upper roller bed substantially directly above said parallel rollers in said lower roller bed when said beds are closed to define an operative space therebetween for work, means for rotating the parallel rollers in each bed to provide in said operative space a common direction of movement for said work engaged by said parallel rollers in said beds when closed, means for exerting at least one selected force upon said work when said beds are closed, drive means for said parallel rollers in at least one of said beds, and means to supply quench liquid to said work at a selected pressure or pressures suflicient to engage and quench said work, whereby continuous or non-continuous work in said operative space at the time being may be straightened and quenched.

12. In a roller platen pressure quench system as set forth in claim 11, comprising, said drive means including sprocket and chain means operative in any of the relative positions of said beds for driving the set of said parallel rollers in said upper roller bed at equal surface speed but in an opposite angular direction of rotation from the set of said parallel rollers in said lower roller bed, and limit switch means for automatically reversing the direction of movement of the sets of parallel rollers in said respective beds to move said work longitudinally back and forth between said beds to expose all portions of said work to more open quench positions intermediate and/or adjoining the areas of engagement of said work by said respective sets of parallel rollers at any time being.

13. In a roller platen pressure quench system, steps comprising, in combination, conveying Lheatcd metal work to be flattened and quenched by roller supporting it at respective transversely extending longitudinally spaced locations in an operative zone, flattening said work by roller pressing down upon it at transversely extending longitudinally spaced locations directly above said firstnamed locations respectively, synchronizing the roller sur face speed of said conveying and said pressing at said respective locations to provide a longitudinal common direction of movement for said work while subjecting it to a selected force exerted against the underside and overside of said work at said locations, relatively rapidly reversing said common direction of movement of said work several times to position all portions of said underside and overside intermediate said respective locations at diflerent times while said work is in said operative zone, and quenching said underside and said overside of said work in said operative zone during said reversal movements of said work to engage all of said work with liquid quench at suflicient pressure and in sufficient quantity for uniform flattening and quenching of said work without marking thereof.

14. In a roller platen pressure quench system, steps comprising, in combination, roller supporting heated metal work to be flattened and quenched at respective transversely extending longitudinally spaced locations while conveying it through an operative zone, flattening said work by roller pressing down upon it at transversely extending longitudinally spaced locations directly above said first-named locations respectively, correlating the roller surface speed of said conveying and said pressing at said respective locations to provide a longitudinal common direction of movement for said work while subjecting it to a selected force exerted against the underside and overside of said work at said locations, and quenching said underside and said overside of said work in said operative zone during said movement of said work to engage all of said work with quench liquid at sufficient pressure and in suflicient quantity for uniform flattening and quenching of said Work without marking thereof.

15. In a roller platen pressure quench system as set forth in claim 14, comprising, said quenching of said underside and said overside of said Work in said operative zone being at respectively selected quench liquid volumes and quenching pressures of quench liquid to selectively engage said respective sides of said work for the achievement of selected straightening and quenching properties in said work without marking thereof.

16. In a roller platen pressure quench system, apparatus comprising, in combination, a lower roller bed having transversely extending parallel rollers, an upper roller bed having transversely extending parallel rollers, said upper and lower beds defining a work space, means rotating the parallel rollers in each bed to provide in said work space a common direction of movement for work engaged by said parallel roller-s in said beds, means exerting at least one selected force upon said work to flatten and restrain said work, means periodically reversing the direction of rotation of said parallel rollers in said beds to periodicaly reverse the direction of movement of said work within said work space, and means supplying quench liquid to said work in said work space.

17. In a roller platen pressure quench system, apparatus comprising, in combination, a lower roller bed having transversely extending parallel rollers, an upper roller bed having transversely extending parallel rollers, said upper and lower beds defining a work space, means rotating the parallel rollers in each bed to provide in said work space a common direction of movement for work engaged by said parallel rollers in said beds, means exerting at least one selected force upon said work to flatten and restrain said work, and means supplying quench liquid to said work in said work space.

18. In a roller platen pressure quench system, apparatus comprising, in combination, a lower roller bed having transversely extending parallel rollers, an upper roller bed having transversely extending parallel rollers, means for moving said roller beds relative toward and from one another to define a work space, means rotating the parallel rollers in each bed to provide in said work space a common direction of movement for said work engaged by 14 said parallel rollers in said beds, means exerting at least one selected force upon said work to flatten and restrain said work, and means supplying quench liquid to said Work in said work space.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 141,837 8/1872 Urban 2666 1,732,244 8/1929 Salzman 148-131 2,378,044 6/1945 Sorensen et al. 148131 X 2,395,184 2/1946 Hume et al l48153 X 2,542,940 2/1951 Pioch et al. 148131 X 3,201,287 8/1965 Flowers 148-131 X 3,294,599 12/1966 Huseby 148143 3,310,295 3/1967 Haak 2 66-4 X CHARLES N. LOVELL, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,423,254 January 21, 1969 Franklin C. Safford, et al.

It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below: Column 1, line 14, qeunch" should read quench Column 4, line 45, "illustrative" should read illustrated Column 5, line 65, cancel "ll". Column 6, line 54, "effect" should read effects line 65, "8" should read 81 Column 7, line 3, beginning with "motor 49" cancel all to and including "and end of", line 4, same column 7, and insert port 38, such liquid from the exhausting side and end of motor 49 and cylinder 36 respectively being returned Column 12, line 75, "periodicaly" should read periodically Signed and sealed this 17th day of March 1970.

(SEAL) Attesq Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. E.

Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN A ROLLER PLATEN PRESSURE QUENCH SYSTEM, APPARATUS COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FRAME, A HORIZONTAL LOWER ROLLER BED FIXED TO SAID FRAME AND HAVING TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING PARALLEL ROLLERS, A MOVABLE HORIZONTAL UPPER ROLLER BED ADAPTED TO BE GUIDED BY SAID FREAME AND HAVING TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING PARALLEL ROLLERS, SAID PARALLEL ROLLERS IN SAID UPPER ROLLER BED BEING DIRECTLY ABOVE SAID PARALLEL ROLLERS IN SAID LOWER ROLLER BED WITH THE AXES OF EACH SUPERPOSED PAIR OF ROLLERS LYING IN A VERTICAL PLANE WHEN SAID BEDS ARE IN RELATIVELY CLOSED POSITION, A CENTRALLY LOCATED VERTICAL DOUBLE-ACTING CYLINDER AND PISTON MEANS POSITIONED ABOVE SAID BEDS IN SUPPORTED RELATION TO SAID UPPER ROLLER BED, ROCKING BEAM MEANS POSITIONED IN FULCRUMED RELATION TO SAID FRAME AND PIVOTALLY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID CYLINDER AND PISTON MEANS, RAM MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID UPPER ROLLER BED AND PIVOTALLY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID ROCKING BEAM MEANS TO MOVE SAID UPPER ROLLER BED UP AND DOWN RESPECTIVELY TO OPEN AND CLOSE SAID BEDS INTERMS OF THE HEIGHT OF THE SPACE BETWEEN THEM, RESSPECTIVE SPROCKET AND CHAIN MEANS FOR ROTATING THE PARALLEL ROLLERS IN EACH BED TO PROVIDE A COMMON DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT FOR FLAT WORK IN SAID SPACE ENGAGED BY SAID PARALLEL ROLLERS IN SAID BEDS WHEN CLOSED TO DEFINE AN OPERATIVE WORK SPACE OF UNIFORM HEIGHT EQUAL TO THE THICKNESS OF SAID WORK, MEANS FOR PRESSING SAID BED WHEN CLOSED ON WORK TOWARD ONE ANOTHER WITH A SELECTED FORCE, A COMMON REVERSIBLE HYDRAULIC DRIVE FOR SAID LAST-NAMED MEANS OPERATIVE FOR ANY HEIGHT OF SPACE BETWEEN SAID BEDS, MEANS FOR REVERSING SAID HYDRAULIC DRIVE TO REVERS SAID COMMON DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT WHILE SAID WORK REMAINS WITHIN SAID WORK SPACE, AND MEANS POSITIONED BETWEEN PARALLEL ROLLERS IN EACH OF SAID BEDS TO SUPPLY WATER TO THE TOP AND BOTTOM SURFACES OF SAID WORK AT PRESSURE SUFFICIENT TO ENGAGE SAID SURFACES AND IN QUANTITIES SUFFICIENT FOR UNIFORM AND RAPID QUENCHING, SAID LAST-NAMED MEANS BEING OPERATIVE WHEN SAID BEDS ARE CLOSED UPON SAID WORK AND SAID WORK IS BEING RELATIVELY RAPIDLY REVERSED IN ITS DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT WITHIN SAID WORK SPACE. 